The battle at Black Mountain Pass had e to an end. As the demonic cultivators gradually emerged from their hiding spots, this vital pass finally fell into the hands of the Blood Reversal Sect.
Strangely enough, Fire Ghost Old Demon had disappeared.
He had vanished just like that, clean and neat... Under normal circumstances, after repelling the Taihu cultivators, this was the time for rewards and recognition. Given Fire Ghost's personality, it was impossible for him to be absent at such a moment.
No demonic cultivator would do such a thing.
By reverse reasoning, Fire Ghost had most likely encountered some mishap, and it happened right after the formation-breaking nails were launched.
Wang Yu and the other two had chosen to huddle together and watch the show, while only this old ghost had gone missing without a trace.
The matter had little to do with them; they could leave it to Evil Soul Ancestor and the others to handle. With the grand formation broken and part of the city-building stones damaged, Black Mountain Pass now urgently needed repairs and replacement of the formation cores, preferably with a new set more in line with the Exalted Sect's style.
The acpanying formation masters could start on that for now.
Once the Sect sent stronger formation experts, everything would be resolved without issue. Beyond that, Wang Yu and the other two had also met with Evil Soul and Dark Blade, the two Great Perfection cultivators.
After some pleasantries and admiration, they began to request merits on their behalf.
Upon learning that Wang Yu had fearlessly defied authority and slain Violet Lightning, the son of Heavenly Capital, they spared no praise, repeatedly lauding him as if he were the guiding wind vane of the demonic path.
"To be a demonic cultivator is to have this fearless, heaven-defying temperament. Well done. Would you be willing to stay and work under me and Dark Blade?"
Wang Yu had an excellent relationship with Zuo Qiuming. Even after the honeymoon phase of their cooperation ended, he could still be considered a friend of the Zuoqiu Clan. Evil Soul Ancestor's original intention was to promote him and help him accumulate more merit.
However, having offended Heavenly Capital, staying on this frontier line was now far too dangerous. After weighing the risks and rewards, Wang Yu still shook his head in refusal.
"I appreciate Senior Evil Soul's kind intentions, but my recent gains have been substantial. I truly need time in seclusion to digest them..."
"No matter. For us cultivators, cultivation must always e first."
Seeing his unwillingness, Evil Soul did not press the matter.
"Taking Black Mountain Pass is only the first step. The real show es next: sweeping the entire Lingxi Prefecture with the might of the demonic path. There are plenty of benefits to be gained there. It would truly be a pity if you chose not to participate."
Wang Yu believed only thirty percent of such rhetoric.
After expressing similar regret, he took his leave and prepared to return to the mountain gate.
As he departed, he found it odd that Dark Blade had remained pletely silent.
Could it be that he knew about the grudge between him and Yu Xing?
Strange...
Once Wang Yu left, Evil Soul also turned to Nether Blade and grumbled, "What's wrong with you? Not a single word?"
"This kid has great potential. His strength is already top-tier among his peers. In another sixty years, he might even rival mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators."
"Are you from the Yu Clan really not tempted at all?"
Dark Blade said nothing and simply kept shaking his head.
"Since he has already expressed his refusal, why say more and make things awkward?"
"You!"
Every time Evil Soul recalled the hardships of the previous battles, he felt that Dark Blade had been putting on an act. Clearly capable of breaking Granny Silvermoon's domain method, yet he had pretended to be helpless like a grandson.
He immediately let out a cold snort.
"There's still an account to settle with you. You'd better have a good reason."
On the other side. Wang Yu deliberately went to meet Qingyang, Yang Xiong, Situ Hong, and Xu Ruozhou. Their identities had already been settled through the feats of intercepting Sword Sect reinforcements, capturing Withered Leaf City, and occupying Black Mountain Pass.
Though the proportion of merit from these three deeds was not particularly high, it was roughly enough to exchange for one Core Formation pill. With Xu Ruozhou's aptitude, forming a core should not be difficult, and with the treasures he had bestowed, the early stage could be passed smoothly.
The first two could only exchange war merits for spiritual pills to increase cultivation, or accumulate them for a bigger move later.
As for exchanging for Nascent Soul opportunities, that was far more difficult. It was simply impossible to accumulate enough in this short amount of time.
The most challenging case was Situ Hong, but with these war merits, helping him cultivate to the peak of Foundation Establishment was absolutely no problem, and there would even be quite a surplus.
These four little brothers did not provide much direct help to Wang Yu's ambitions. They mainly served to handle miscellaneous tasks, run errands, and assist with small matters.
"Do you wish to return to the sect with me, or stay here and continue accumulating war merits? From now on, battles will spread across the entire Lingxi Prefecture under Taihu's control. Opportunities to earn war merits will not be scarce. If you return with me to the sect, most of your time will be spent in seclusion in your cave abode, helping me handle some minor affairs and running errands."
Situ Hong did not hesitate long: "I'll stay behind. Only in a great righteous-demonic war can I seek an opportunity to form a core."
Yang Xiong and Qingyang had similar thoughts and both chose to stay behind.
Only Xu Ruozhou laughed and spoke up.
“City Lord, with the war merits I’ve accumulated plus the spirit stones you gave me, it’s enough for me to form my Core. This is the perfect chance to return to the sect with you and see for myself what the famous Blood Reversal Sect actually looks like.
“Along the way, I can also borrow that set of tribulation-avoiding treasures for a bit.”
The choices made by all four of them were based on maximizing their current benefits. Effort does not always bring rewards, but without effort there will certainly be none.
The kind of good fortune that falls from the sky often hides a massive pit beneath it.
“Then let it be so. If anything else es up, I will notify you all.”
“Understood.”
“See you.”
Wang Yu has always acted decisively. The entire Black Mountain Pass operation took less than three months in total, yet it pletely overturned the situation.
At the very least, on the specific front of dealing with Taihu cultivators, the Blood Reversal Sect had reversed its passive position. With the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect joining in, the Blood Reversal Sect would shift from being the main force to playing a supporting role.
The focus would tilt toward the Yellow Spring Monastery. Once those hyenas were beaten back, the Blood Reversal Sect would have successfully survived the internal strife vortex.
At that point, the conflict would truly bee a full-scale righteous-demonic war.
Of course.
The situation might not develop exactly as he predicted. Wang Yu always felt that the Yellow Spring Monastery was hiding a larger secret. Their betrayal of the Blood Reversal Sect was not merely due to old grudges.
This point should gradually bee clear in the battles to e.
After linking up with Xu Ruozhou, Dark Demon, and Dark Tiger.
The group of four headed back toward the Exalted Sect’s mountain gate. They were also returning to exchange their war merits. Dark Tiger needed to break through to mid-stage Nascent Soul, while Dark Demon was still a bit short.
But if they could squeeze some resources out of the Wei Clan forces on Barbarian Ghost Peak, it should be enough to push his cultivation forward another step. This was one of the benefits of war.
Resources that were normally hard to obtain became much easier to acquire during wartime.
Some items saw their prices skyrocket, but others rose even more dramatically—for example: Nascent Souls!
They were absolute hard currency in the hands of demonic cultivators, even more sought-after than supreme-grade spirit stones. Absorbing the power of another person’s Nascent Soul was undeniably a shortcut.
There were plenty of secret methods designed for exactly this purpose.
Every faction had its own specialties in this regard.
Wang Yu’s main goals upon returning this time were to deal with the three Nascent Souls he currently held, followed by BodyvRefining resources and divine-sense resources.
Progress in Body Refinement had been slow and was still far from the peak of early fourth stage. Divine sense had reached the threshold of late fourth stage, but he was stuck there.
The core of the Ancient Soul Art lay in the [Ancient Soul]—or rather “false soul”—condensed within the Niwan Palace. Its primary function was to act as a substitute death, taking on soul and divine-sense attacks in his place.
As a result, ordinary divine sense attacking secret arts had little effect on him.
Digging deeper into the Ancient Soul led to the second Nascent Soul. He had already obtained the corresponding secret method long ago, but whether or not to cultivate it had always left him hesitant.
The advantages of a second Nascent Soul needed no explanation. Even the techniques for creating clones or incarnations had long tempted him, since they would allow the main body to be freed from all sorts of miscellaneous affairs.
The benefits of placing such a burden on another while focusing solely on cultivation were self-evident.
This secret method was extremely valuable. Apart from needing one fourth-rank spiritual item—the [True Soul Stone] all the other supporting conditions were already in place. It would be a real pity not to practice it.
“Let’s wait a little longer. The potential of the Innate Demonic Embryo Physique has not yet been fully explored. The ability of Heavenly Demon Myriad Transformations might produce some wonderful effects within it.”
…
…
Half a month later, Wang Yu and the others returned to the Blood Reversal Sect.
The group disbanded on the spot.
Xu Ruozhou was sent by Wang Yu to Evil Sword Peak. After the death of the Nine Evils Sword Lord, Black Heaven Talisman Lord who held a grudge against him—had moved to Maple Prefecture. Sending the man there posed no real problem.
Private grudges were private grudges; all nine peaks belonged to the three clans anyway.
As a Formidable Demon Lord, he still had enough face for this small favor. After that, he would pay a formal visit to the Sect Master at the Blood Demon Hall and drop by to visit Old Flood Dragon as well.
Apparently, a message had e from the Heavenly Roc King asking him to refine some pills. This was a favor request—he could not refuse. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with the old flood dragon.
Blood Demon Hall.
As the place with the highest prestige in the Blood Reversal Sect, Wang Yu had visited it many times, but he had only truly entered the interior once, during the previous Nascent Soul meeting.
The rest of the time, he had only gone to Old Flood Dragon’s cave abode.
After this Black Mountain Pass campaign, Wang Yu’s war merits were outstanding. The name of Supreme Law Profound Pill Demonic Lord had already spread across the Crimson Kite Continent. He was no longer in the position of small-time skirmishes.
He had bee even more infamous in Taihu. After all, he had stepped over Violet Lightning’s corpse to rise, and he had openly shattered the divine-sense incarnation of the old senior Heavenly Capital Thunder Lord.
The stepping-stone effect had been quite significant.
From the fastest-cultivating genius of the Crimson Kite younger generation, Wang Yu had now transformed into a true powerhouse. He had shed the “weak label” of a newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivator and no longer lost out to veteran experts.
Stepping into the Blood Demon Main Hall, he saw the youthful-faced Sect Master seated high upon the main throne, clearly waiting for his audience.
“Cold Blood Peak’s Wang Yu greets Sect Master.”
“No need for excessive courtesy. Rise.”
The Sect Master’s tone was gentle, but that was only on the surface.
He had not forgotten what had happened to the Young Sect Master and Lu Chenzhou, who had been flayed and dismantled. Moreover, the Sect Master’s secret technique still seemed inplete, lacking a final touch.
His gaze had already fallen upon Zhuo Shouyun. Ever since the conflict between the two Zhuos concluded, Zhuo Shouyun had successfully forged the Blood Demon Body. This was no secret among the upper ranks.
Whatever plans Zhuo Shouqing and Zhuo Yuanshen had harbored, they had failed. Zhuo Shouyun was the sole victor.
The process did not matter. Only the oute did.
The Zhuo Clan also wished to exert their strength and push Zhuo Shouyun into the position of Young Sect Master. Within the Blood Demon Hall lineage, only someone with that constitution could inherit the position. The requirement was rigid, and no one could pete for it.
However, the Sect Master’s scheme had already been exposed. The Zhuo Clan would not send their own people out to die, so Zhuo Shouyun had remained hidden ever since.
On one hand, this prevented the Sect Master from striking in the dark. On the other, they were actively preparing for the next Blood Spring Evil Ritual, intending to artificially create another unlucky Blood Demon Body to satisfy the Sect Master’s appetite.
This objective was nearly played with open cards.
Yet the collective purpose of the Blood Spring Evil Ritual was to give the useless descendants of the sect’s ancestors a heaven-defying chance to change their fate. If it were reduced merely to creating a sacrificial blood meal, no one would willingly offer up their own offspring, even if they were low-aptitude trash.
The master-disciple faction thought the same.
In recent years, the internal environment of the master-disciple faction had deteriorated severely, gradually shifting toward a clan-based structure. After all, they too reproduced and had children. Calling them a master-disciple faction was almost inaccurate. They were more like the first generation founders of emerging clans.
The two great factions were locked in direct opposition. It had nothing to do with lofty ideals or the sect’s development.
They simply wanted a bigger slice of the cake.
Inside the Blood Demon Hall, the Sect Master continued.
“Now that you have returned to the mountain, is there any treasure you desire? With your war merits, exchanging for a fourth-rank spiritual item would be more than sufficient.”
Wang Yu considered briefly before replying,
“I wish to obtain the Star Demonic Stones from the Bloodfall, Sect Master.”
“Granted. This Sect Master never mistreats those with merit. How about two pieces?”
“I would be most grateful.”
The Star Demonic Stones were demonic treasures nurtured by the sect’s Demonic Star Formation. They were especially suited for demonic cultivators. Wang Yu intended to use them to assist in Nascent Soul pill refinement.
They would allow his cultivation to advance significantly. Exchanging war merits for them was practically taking advantage.
“Someone will deliver the Star Demonic Stones to your dao field later. What are your plans afterward?”
“I intend to enter closed-door cultivation to increase my strength.”
“Good. It seems your trip to Black Mountain Pass was not in vain. Since you intend to remain in the sect to cultivate, this Sect Master will not oppose your wishes.
“However, the war is arduous. Why not refine pills for the sect? Simply make use of the intervals between your cultivation sessions. The rewards being distributed internally cannot be supported by the Alchemy Hall alone.”
The rewards had been given generously, even excessively.
It was only natural that the Sect Master would attach additional conditions. Wang Yu readily agreed.
This was the fate of an alchemist. With his current pill refinement attainments, using pill-nurturing methods, refining one furnace per year was no issue at all.
As long as he personally tended it for the first half month, afterward he could leave it in a corner to slowly nurture. It required little effort.
His attitude of agreeing to everything, plying with everything, clearly pleased the Sect Master. In the latter’s eyes, Wang Yu was already a core pillar of the Blood Demon Hall.
“Very well. You may withdraw. I will have Old Flood Dragon handle the rest. You are more familiar with him.”
“Many thanks, Sect Master. Wang Yu takes his leave.”
Exiting the Blood Demon Hall respectfully, Wang Yu finally relaxed.
He had yet to fully grasp the Sect Master’s temperament, so he responded mainly by following the other’s lead. The stronger a demonic powerhouse was, the more they detested being defied.
The Sect Master stood at half-step Spirit Transformation, already the strongest figure in the Blood Reversal Sect.
Whether this thigh was reliable or not was another matter. For now, pliance brought substantial benefits. The sect’s usefulness to him would only begin to decline after he broke through to late-stage Nascent Soul.
This superficial cooperation was nothing more than an exchange of benefits.
Leaving the Blood Demon Hall, he immediately turned toward Old Flood Dragon’s cave abode. It had been some time since his last visit. Within this pocket-realm secret heaven, the spiritual energy had grown even denser, forming thick mist.
Deep within, a heavy blood-red glow lingered in the air.
The lake teemed with dragon-blood aquatic species, while on land there were flocks of three-colored dragon sparrows and other groups. All were subordinates of the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon.
According to intelligence he had gathered from the northern demonic clans,
Old Flood Dragon was a mutated individual of the Blackwater Mysterious Serpent clan. Born with blood eyes, similar to a human possessing an innate blood spiritual root, he refined his bloodline by devouring his own kind until he ultimately transformed into a flood dragon.
His reputation was far from stellar. Otherwise, he would not be called a Demonic Flood Dragon.
He was essentially half detached from his original clan, rarely contacting them. Instead, he municated directly with major demonic figures such as the Heavenly Roc King.
By that logic, was Yu Tangtang also a demon of this lineage?
With such thoughts passing through his mind.
Wang Yu called out.
“Senior Yu, this junior Wang Yu has e to pay a visit.”
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